Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) opened on 1 January 2005, the result of the merging of the PE Technikon the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University (Vista PE).

The PE Technikon has its roots in the country’s oldest art school, the PE Art School founded in 1882; the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), the country’s first dual-medium residential university, came into being on 31 January 1964; and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista university, which opened up access to higher education for disadvantaged students.

The union of these institutions came about as a result of government’s countrywide restructuring of higher education – intended to deliver a more equitable and efficient system to meet the needs of South Africa, the continent and the world in the 21st century.

On 20 July 2017, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was officially renamed Nelson Mandela University: the only higher education institution in the world to carry the name of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The name change provided an opportunity for the institution to rebrand and position itself continentally and globally, while also allowing it to usher in a new era of renewed vigour towards meaningful transformation.

Nelson Mandela University is today a sought-after educational destination and the most diverse university in South Africa.

Nelson Mandela University has 7 different faculties and schools with over 481 degree programs. Nelson Mandela University offers the following faculties:

• Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of the Built Environment and Technology
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Law and Science

Nelson Mandela University also has six institutional research themes:

• Marine and Coastal Sciences
• Social Justice and Democracy
• Environmental responsibility and sustainable livelihoods
• Innovation and the digital economy
• Origins, Culture, Heritage and Memory and
• Humanizing pedagogy

The Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences is the most prominent at Nelson Mandela University as it houses the internationally accredited Business School. It also houses the School of Accounting, the School of Management Sciences, the School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources and the School of Economics, Development & Tourism. This faculty tends to attract the most international students. You can find more details about the different schools and faculties at this link. 

Semester dates & deadlines:

click here

Course calendar:

Bachelor/Master programs: click here

Nelson Mandela University offers a variety of social and cultural activities, which means you can have fun while you study. There are associations, societies, clubs and facilities, allowing you to make new friends while exploring subjects of mutual interest.

A wide range of student services and support facilities are offered on Nelson Mandela University campuses to assist both prospective and current students in every aspect of student life. Students have access to well-equipped laboratories for specific subjects, computer laboratories (some open 24 hours), lecture halls, cafeterias, food courts and coffee shops.

These services include, among others:

• Library and Information Services
• Campus Health Services
• Emthonjeni - Fountain of Student Wellness
• Arts, Culture & Heritage Unit
• Student Development & Governance
• Student Representative Council (SRC)
• Universal Accessibility & Disability Services (UADS)
• Societies

• Madibaz Sport

The university is located in a nature reserve and the International Office takes interested students on hikes to explore this side of nature. To get a better idea of what to do in Gqeberha, follow this link.

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Information provided by Nelson Mandela University.